10 October 2024 - 0 Comments

Pōneke/Wellington musician, songwriter and producer Sam Fowles releases his single Sitting On Top Of The World today, October 10.

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Fowles soulful vocals bring the feel-good vibes, accompanied with a catchy chorus Sitting On Top Of The World is an instant earworm.

“Sitting On Top Of The World is a steady groover” shares Fowles “infused with a dash of hip-hop swagger that keeps the energy fresh.”

The fresh energy was flowing creatively for Fowles in the creation of this track. “Unlike most of my tracks, which begin with guitar and voice, this one emerged from a sonic experiment. I spent hours throwing paint at the canvas, instinctively following what felt good. The process was organic, driven purely by feel.”

Fowles also took sonic inspiration for the natural world around him and built it into the track in an exciting way. For the intro and outro Fowles shares “I went around recording sound samples of native birds and bush ambiences in the beautiful parks of Wellington Otari-Wilton, Takarunga-Mt Victoria and also from my bedroom window in Newtown.”

“It was a super enjoyable experience, I love nerding out on sounds. I find it endlessly fascinating. It was a beautiful way to connect with Te Taiao - the natural world and bridge the gap between abstraction and reality in my music.”

Sitting On Top Of The World is a modern take on classic psychedelic soul - radiating warmth like a ray of sunshine and drawing inspiration from 70's genre legends like Shuggie Otis, Roy Ayers, and The Isley Brothers.

Lyrically, it explores themes of mental health and the accompanying inner turmoil “in many ways this song is a love letter to the self” reflects Fowles. “It's about being patient and kind to yourself, particularly when you’re feeling low. Take some time out, enjoy nature, ground yourself in the present moment and most importantly show yourself some love.”

Sitting On Top Of The World is the fourth single released from Fowles' album After Dark releasing November 15. Following on from Butterfly Baby, Destination Unknown and most recently Slipping Away.

“I see this track as the dawn after the dark, sonically I created a sound world that I imagine a beautiful summer day to sound like whereas Slipping Away had the underwater themes. In my compositions I create a sonic space that reflects a theme I am thinking about visually - sounds, shapes and colours that move with the music.”

After Dark is Fowles debut solo album. Fowles co-produced the album with Barnaby Weir (The Black Seeds, Fly My Pretties).

Sitting On Top Of The World is available on all digital platforms from October 10.

Fowles encourages listeners "in times when you're feeling low, take a moment to step back, breathe, and enjoy the view—it's a beautiful world out there, even when it's hard to see through the fog.”

Photo Credit: Jack Marlin
Cover Art: Ellie Heywood

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